The NFL wasn’t happy with the six-game suspension handed out to Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson by disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson. As such, commissioner Roger Goodell and the league decided to appeal the suspension, which means Watson’s case will once again be heard.
This time, Goodell has asked former New Jersey Attorney General Peter C. Harvey to hear the case. According to ESPN, there is no timetable for Harvey to review the case, but it will have to be done in an expedited manner.
“The NFL’s appeal addresses whether, based on the findings made by Judge Robinson, the discipline should be modified to include a professional evaluation and treatment as determined by medical experts, an appropriate fine, and a longer suspension,” the league said, via ESPN.
The star quarterback had been accused of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct by 25 women. The conduct allegedly took place during massage sessions with the women. The civil cases against Watson were settled out of court, but the NFL did investigate whether or not Watson broke the league’s personal conduct policy — which led to the initial suspension.
The NFL is appealing the six-game suspension and seeking an indefinite suspension for at least one year, according to ESPN. The league is also asking for Watson to be fined monetarily, and for him to receive treatment.
Harvey currently works as a partner at Patterson Belknap in New York. He is also a member of the NFL’s diversity advisory committee and has previously helped the league in other cases, including in 2017 when Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott was suspended for six games after a domestic violence investigation.
